This short film documented the magical transformation (metamorphosis) of a dragonfly from its nymph to an adult. All footage was captured with an iPhone 6s from May 25th 11pm to May 26th 7am. This transformation is a wonder of nature. Dragonflies are something that you don’t see very often unless you happen to live in an area where they’re known to buzz around on a regular basis but once you see one you never forget what they look like and it’s hard to confuse one with anything else. These very unique insects spend a good deal of their time as nymphs, which can last for several years, making them a very long-lived insect. Once they enter their adult form they are capable of flying for long distances at a time. Some have in fact even been known to fly across oceans.
They are a very pretty insect with their metallic colors and long, shimmering wings. It’s not too much of a surprise to learn that they’re predatory as well since in their nymph stage they tend to feast upon freshwater invertebrates and even small fish. When they reach their adult stage dragonflies are known to be very astute at taking their prey right form the air. In this stage they tend to feed upon flying ants or termites. So quite honestly they can be a help to their community since they do prey upon other insects that can be a nuisance. They also tend to eat mosquito larvae so their use in containing the local pest species is of great importance.
Thankfully not a lot of people see dragonflies as pests. They might be a little territorial but for the most part they’re pretty to look at and aren’t much of a problem. In fact a lot of different cultures have looked at them in many different ways and have glorified them in art, stories, and discussions that have featured dragonflies as the main topic. Like I said they are very pretty insects, and the chance to just watch them without disturbing them is something unique that can tell a lot of about each species.
The fact that they’re so territorial is interesting, and has been noted more than once by researchers that have attempted to figure these enigmatic bugs out. They have territorial battles that show different types of dragonflies actually employing different tactics to try and gain an edge against those they are fighting against. Being such agile fliers there are a number of ways that they try to fool one another, which indicates that they have some type of higher brain function or heightened instincts that are simply amazing.
It’s amazing really but dragonflies are more important to human culture than many people realize. That’s why this miraculous transformation from a nymph into a fully-grown dragonfly is so impressive. While they are quite beautiful to look at they are also beneficial to the environment as they reduce the number of pesky insects and add a bit of wonder to nature.
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